• UEFA Champions League, Round of 16 first leg, Estádio do Dragão – FC Porto 0, Juventus 2 (Pjaca 72’, Alves 74’)
Slow and steady wins the race. This was a textbook Juventus road performance in Europe, with the Italians controlling the tempo right from the start and methodically going right at Porto, who were reduced to 10 men when Alex Telles picked up his second yellow card in the 27th minute. Telles committed rash fouls on Juan Cuadrado and Stephan Lichtsteiner just minutes apart, and despite the boisterous protestations of the crowd at the Dragão—where Porto had not lost in any completion since last April—he deserved to be sent off.
Porto dropped off deep when it was 11 vs. 11, and dropped even deeper following Telles’ expulsion. Alex Sandro and Miralem Pjanić pulled the creative strings for the Italians, but they couldn’t quite unleash Gonzolo Higuain and Paulo Dybala. It wasn’t until late in the first half when Juve carved out a genuine scoring chance, with Dybala hitting a shot that beat Iker Casillas and smacked off the far post. Juve carried on in the second half, crossing balls into the box, only to see Porto’s central defensive duo of Felipe and Ivan Marcano comfortably deal with the danger. The Italians laboured in their buildup play at times, even with the man advantage, and Porto slowly came into the game by hitting out at the visitors in transition.
Juve kept its composure throughout, though, and manager Massimiliano Allegri quickly made a pair of changes that proved to be inspired, swapping in Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves for Cuadrado and Lichtsteiner. Both gave the bianconeri more edge and urgency going forward. Just when it looked like Porto was going to hold on for the draw, Juve struck in the 71st minute through Pjaca, the Croatian completing a sweeping move with a fine finish just minutes after coming onto the pitch. Alves doubled the advantage 141 seconds later, scoring off a great cross into the box from Sandro.
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It was game over at that point, and one would have to think it’s series over, too. Juventus is unbeaten in 42 consecutive games at home in all competitions, so it’s difficult to envisage them squandering a two-goal advantage in the return match on March 14 in Turin.
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TALKING POINT
Was Massimiliano Allegri correct to bench Leonardo Bonucci? A lot of the pre-match talk surrounded the Juventus manager’s controversial decision to not play Bonucci (who travelled to Portugal but did not dress for this match) after the defender questioned his coach’s tactics following a 4-1 win over Palermo in Serie A last Friday. It would have been one thing for Allegri to bench Bonucci, one of the best defenders in the world, for this weekend’s upcoming Italian league fixture against Empoli. But he took a bit of a gamble in asserting himself and taking a hard stance with Bonucci in a Champions League fixture. As it turned out, Juve didn’t miss him. Even before Porto was reduced to 10 men they never threatened to score, and Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini did a good job of marshalling Juve’s four-man defence in Bonucci’s absence. Of course, Allegri’s power play could have backfired. Still, you have to give him credit for taking a principled stance with a key player in what was a massively important road game.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Alex Sandro, Juventus: The Brazilian left fullback continually bombed forward to provide Juve with attacking width, and he delivered a number of dangerous crosses into the box as the Italians pinned Porto inside its half for long stretches. Sandro also had a hand in setting up Dani Alves’ goal—he delivered a fabulous ball to the back post for his countryman to get onto the end of and slot home.
KEY MOMENT
72’ GOAL! FC Porto 0-1 Juventus: Less than five minutes after entering the game as a substitute, Marko Pjaca broke the deadlock with a sweet finish from inside the penalty area. The Croatian fed teammate Paulo Dybala who then tried to play a quick return pass. Instead, Porto defender Miguel Layun inadvertently deflected it into the path of Pjaca, who continued his run and arrowed a low shot into the far corner for his first goal for the Italian side. It was all Juventus after that, as they quickly added a second goal through Dani Alves.
STANDOUT STAT
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